The Internet has emerged as a powerful advertising tool. It is common place to see advertisements on many web sites. For example, advertisements may be displayed on search web sites and may be targeted to individuals based upon search terms provided by the individuals. Other web sites, such as news and sports web sites, may provide space for advertisements. The owners of these web sites may sell advertising space to advertisers to offset the costs associated with operating the web sites as well as to turn a profit.
As the internet has grown, the number of web sites available for hosting advertisements has increased. The diversity between web sites has also increased. That is, the number of web sites focusing on selective groups of individuals has increased. For example, some web sites cater to gaming enthusiasts. Some may cater to women in a certain age group. As a result of the increase, it has become increasingly difficult for advertisers to optimize their advertising budgets. For example, some web sites may be better suited to a particular advertiser's products than others. Advertisers unfamiliar with the vast number of web sites available for hosting advertisements may choose to host their respective advertisements on a less than optimal host web site. This may result in a lower rate of return for the advertiser. The advertiser may have received a greater rate of return had the advertiser chosen a more suitable host web site.